Tuesday, October 21, 2008

First the Russians, then the Americans, now it's the Hindu's chance to go to the Moon!

Surprise! India has launched it's first Moon mission! Read on...

The unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft blasted off smoothly from a launch pad in southern Andhra Pradesh to embark on a two-year mission of exploration. The robotic probe will orbit the Moon, compiling a 3-D atlas of the lunar surface and mapping the distribution of elements and minerals. The launch is regarded as a major step for India as it seeks to keep pace with other space-faring nations in Asia. It was greeted with applause by scientists gathered at the site.